So my 4th grader got into trouble today

[Blackjack200]

Perk said he doesn't have any squirrels, and when I showed him a picture of my weenie, he just started laughing. WTF?

 

[Ichinisan]

I would only be offended if authority figures asked this question and demanded an answer from students. Reacting this way to a question from a student is just ridiculous.

 

[OutHouse]

What precipitated this conversation? Does your daughter typically go around asking people if they believe in God,

4th grade dude. 8 years old.

 

[OutHouse]

I agree, asking this question of another kid would be harassment.

asking one question is harassment?

wtf

 

[pauldun170]

Based on my knowledge of school administration, kids parents.

Your daughter asking another kid about god?
School, school staff, janitors anyone within 10 feet - Zero (rhythms with ducks) given.
One Parent calling the school to nitpick about some BS issue?
The Principle, Assistant Principle and councilors are probably sitting there thinking to themselves "I hate these people"...why the hell do have idiots in my district complaining over BS.

They can't ignore the parents complaint. Best way to deal with it is to get all parents involved into one room and let everyone talk it out while clearly stating any school policies on the matter. This way the school absolves itself of legal risk, parental annoyance risk and hopefully helps remove the sand in the vagina syndrome afflicting the complaining parent.

Summary. If you daughter said something to upset another kid's family on school property, all involved will be called in to settle the matter.
Doesn't matter if your daughter asked about god or asked about peanut butter allergies.

Nip it in the butt..."we are all adults"...talk this crap out and stop calling my office over BS.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

This may, perhaps, be the perfect setup for trolling.

But in all honesty: when questions become against the rules it is knowledge that loses.

4th graders should be able to say "In my church a talking snake was created 6k years ago and tricked women in to ruining the lives of men" and teacher should be able to answer what science has to say about it.

Shutting down questions = increasing ignorance

 

[pauldun170]

The real story:

Daughter: Do you believe in god? You better start praying cause I'm going to *bleep* you up *bleep*

Other Child: D:

This would be a reasonable explanation for the Councilors warning. (That or Daughter: Do you believe in god? If not you are going to hell")
Hilarity would be to find out OP daughter is a prick in school.

As a parent of a 4th grader, I can TOTALLY see a 4th grade girl being a prick in school while the parents still hold on to the notion of a "sweet innocent little girl"

 

[Phoenix86]

They can't ignore the parents complaint. Best way to deal with it is to get all parents involved into one room and let everyone talk it out while clearly stating any school policies on the matter. This way the school absolves itself of legal risk, parental annoyance risk and hopefully helps remove the sand in the vagina syndrome afflicting the complaining parent.

Yes, they can ignore the complain. If they complain that the school food is offensive are they going to replace the menu? No. If they complain that the paint on the school building is offensive are they going to repaint it? No.

The best way to deal with a ridiculous complaint is to do nothing, and explain why nothing should/will be done. That's nipping shit in the bud, at the source.

Putting both parents into the same room could create confrontation and it's a terrible way to deal with it. Hell, involving the parents of the child who bought up religion AT ALL is a terrible way to deal with it.

 

[SlitheryDee]

This would be a reasonable explanation for the Councilors warning. (That or Daughter: Do you believe in god? If not you are going to hell")
Hilarity would be to find out OP daughter is a prick in school.

As a parent of a 4th grader, I can TOTALLY see a 4th grade girl being a prick in school while the parents still hold on to the notion of a "sweet innocent little girl"

I believe it happened more or less the way the OP described it. Minimizing the impact of those kinds of situations could be important for a school though, even if there were no laws about religion and schools. I imagine any parents would be incensed if they found out that other children were indoctrinating their children to a different religion than they wanted to indoctrinate them to. Peer pressure is a powerful thing. Doubts that are planted early in a child's life tend to remain for a long time, if not forever. Parents are at least instinctively aware of this, if not intellectually.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Wait for everyone to show up to the meeting.

Ask if everyone is there. Calmly state the following:
"Don't ever send me a note like this again. I will not discipline my 9 year old child over something as innocent as asking someone if they believe in god. I will not even discuss his matter with my child. If you ever discuss this matter with my child or discipline my child over this in any way I will be seeking advice from my lawyer. This meeting is over."

And walk out. And if they say a single word. Turn calmly and say "This meeting is over."

 

[pauldun170]

The best way to deal with a ridiculous complaint is to do nothing, and explain why nothing should/will be done. That's nipping shit in the bud, at the source.

LOL...and exactly how would they communicate this?
Perhaps by calling both parents in, explaining school policy and having both parents acknowledge that the school will or will not be doing X.

 

[pauldun170]

I believe it happened more or less the way the OP described it. Minimizing the impact of those kinds of situations could be important for a school though, even if there were no laws about religion and schools. I imagine any parents would be incensed if they found out that other children were indoctrinating their children to a different religion than they wanted to indoctrinate them to. Peer pressure is a powerful thing. Doubts that are planted early in a child's life tend to remain for a long time, if not forever. Parents are at least instinctively aware of this, if not intellectually.

The councilors warning makes no sense if that was all that was said.

Asking if someone believes in God is not indoctrination any more than talking about what you asked Santa for Christmas.
It would take an extreme level of stupidity on the councilor part to issue a harassment warning for "Do you believe in God".
Either OP daughter isn't telling the whole story or the other student\parents are lying.

The meeting will hash it out.

 

[SMOGZINN]

Obviously most of you have never dealt with a pre-teen kid.

Here is how I expect this all really went down, which our erstwhile OP will find out shortly.

What OP's Child tells him: "All I did was ask another kid if he believed in God."

What he find out when he talks to the school: "She asked a classmate if he believed in God. When he answered that he didn't she informed him he is going to hell. RIGHT NOW. then continued to kick him in the kidneys until he bled from his anus, at which time the other kids started yelling that it was the ebola. We had to shut the school down and men in space suits came in and cut the carpet out and send it for testing. The classmate is currently in ICU and they will expect he will survive."

 

[SlitheryDee]

The councilors warning makes no sense if that was all that was said.

Asking if someone believes in God is not indoctrination any more than talking about what you asked Santa for Christmas.
It would take an extreme level of stupidity on the councilor part to issue a harassment warning for "Do you believe in God".
Either OP daughter isn't telling the whole story or the other student\parents are lying.

The meeting will hash it out.

Yes, but the ensuing conversation once the other child joined in might have. Now the word is going around amongst the children that so-and-so doesn't believe in god. It will almost certainly come up again. If other children are any example it will likely be tinged with disbelief and ridicule when it does. That's peer pressure.

 

[pauldun170]

Yes, but the ensuing conversation once the other child joined in might have. Now the word is going around amongst the children that so-and-so doesn't believe in god. It will almost certainly come up again. If other children are any example it will likely be tinged with disbelief and ridicule when it does. That's peer pressure.

Quite possible but not a given.
Its not uncommon for odd ball questions to pop up among kids that age. For the most part, as long as their isn't an "audience involved" (4th grade girls in groups...be careful) simple one off questions are just that. a simple question with no follow up.

 

[Homerboy]

Unbelievable.

I'm more pissed at the other kid's parents who fucking complained about than the school that did something about it. Those parents need to STFU and get a life. God I hate parents of other kids.

 

[JulesMaximus]

No way this is the whole story. No way.

Yeah, I'm betting the OP is the prosthelytizing type and has indoctrinated his daughter to do the same. :sneaky:

 

[highland145]

Perk said he doesn't have any squirrels, and when I showed him a picture of my weenie, he just started laughing. WTF?

:awe:

 

[IronWing]

I think ATOT has once again gotten to the heart of the matter. OP, your daughter is a bad little girl.

 

[pauldun170]

I think ATOT has once again gotten to the heart of the matter. OP, your daughter is a bad little girl.

 

[Phoenix86]

LOL...and exactly how would they communicate this?

I'd recommend English, barring that, another language that the complaining parents and the administrator both speak. Written words would probably also be acceptable.

Perhaps by calling both parents in, explaining school policy and having both parents acknowledge that the school will or will not be doing X.

Why bother the parents who didn't complain if it's OK to do (hint: it's OK). Should we call in every parent ever time a kid doesn't violate school policy? That sounds awfully stupid.

 

[Linux23]

I think ATOT has once again gotten to the heart of the matter. OP, your daughter is a bad little girl.

you can always count on the ATOT Police to get down to the heart of every issue.

 

[Dannar26]

Teach her that the correct way to "harass" other kids is by shoving them, stealing their lunches, spitting in their drinks etc. Public schools won't do anything about actual bullying.

This.

"Bullying" = something that happens to make gay kids suicidal, or any other overinflated EO issue...

 

[pauldun170]

I'd recommend English, barring that, another language that the complaining parents and the administrator both speak. Written words would probably also be acceptable.

Why bother the parents who didn't complain if it's OK to do (hint: it's OK). Should we call in every parent ever time a kid doesn't violate school policy? That sounds awfully stupid.

Something occurred where one girl received a warning from the school's councilor and the other girls parents called the school.

Both parents have an interest in discussing this with school staff and the school staff has an interest in discussing this with parents.

If OP would rather not be bothered when his daughter receives a warning from school councilor then I would say that's shitty parenting.

If the school administration has received a complaint from another parent and the event rose to the level where someone received a harassment warning then I would expect the school to contact the parents of the child that initiated the event and the victim of the event. If the School "ignores it" then I would say the school sucks.

If you don't agree, then so be it.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Something occurred where one girl received a warning from the school's councilor and the other girls parents called the school.

Both parents have an interest in discussing this with school staff and the school staff has an interest in discussing this with parents.

If OP would rather not be bothered when his daughter receives a warning from school councilor then I would say that's shitty parenting.

If the school administration has received a complaint from another parent and the event rose to the level where someone received a harassment warning then I would expect the school to contact the parents of the child that initiated the event and the victim of the event. If the School "ignores it" then I would say the school sucks.

If you don't agree, then so be it.

You're a poster child for risk management.